Yep, I've gone tablet crazy. Just love the little critters. I have an original iPad, I have an Android Tablet (Acer Iconia A500) and I even have a Windows Tablet (Acer Iconia W500). See what they did with the Iconia model numbers? Darn clever these folks!
The iPad is definitely prettier. The Android has lots of options. The Windows is Windows, but with teeny tiny buttons to try to press. Good thing it comes with an attachable keyboard.
But time and time again, I find myself being forced to use the Windows tablet simply because I want to use a "Grown Up" browser, rather than the limited, constrained, features-missing browsers from IOS or Android. (You know, like making a blog post, etc.)
I haven't been a coder in decades, but I've gotta ask, is it really so hard to make a full-featured browser for either IOS or Android? The look is different, the feel is different, and the rendering is different between the desktop and tablet versions.
I downloaded Opera for the Android, and gave up with it after just a week or so. It seemed a little unfinished.
I really do see the Windows based tablet, with the keyboard attached (yes, like a cheap laptop or netbook) as the 'go to' machine for when I really want to get something accomplished, and not just browse within the limitations the tablets lock me into. If I want to see some video, I have to have FLASH available. If I want the pages to render well and not give me the stripped down 'mobile' version, I either have to try to fool the sites by changing arcane settings in the mobile browser, or by just going to the real, desktop, made for grown-ups, browser.
I know these limitations, and I work with them so I can be on the bleeding edge of technology. But I have many friends and family who just want the silly things to work, and let them see the content they want to see. Make that happen with a decent battery life, and the sales of the tablets might REALLY take off. Then again, I'm just a low-level functionary and not a tech company mogul who makes billions with every brain wave. I just know that every time I extol the virtues of a tablet to one of them, and let them try it out, they invariably go to a website that shows the flaws of these 'little brother' browsers. I can explain with lots of great reasons why that particular website didn't work right, but my friends and family don't care. They just want the silly thing to work and show them EXACTLY what they are used to seeing on the desktop/laptop screens.
Oh, and Google? A touch interface (that makes sense) for the desktop Chrome browser would REALLY help. I've got a machine that can handle it, and IE 9 can do it (with some IRRITATING limitations). So maybe you might want to try to make my life more wonderful? Please?
No comments:
Post a Comment